[sbu_large_image] Opinion
24 February 2018 1151 comments
Mark Mark
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It comes to something when captaining Harry Kane is seen as a gamble.

We spent weeks justifying his existence in our squads on the basis that he would be our permanent skipper, and successive hat-tricks against the backdrop of the original #Kanexit movement convinced us that we’d never looked back.

But even the most proven and big-scoring assets struggle to convince when compared with the relentless tide of points produced by Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian has now split the Fantasy Football community, as each Gameweek the debate reopens on if and when we can afford to overlook him with the armband.

Kane will always provide the tempting alternative, but with his record of a goal or an assist in 16 of 18 Gameweek appearances, the logic clearly points to Salah.

Twelve double-figure returns to Kane’s eight also diffuses the “explosive” argument.

However, arguably Kane’s “ceiling” of points remains the higher. The devastation of his away day performances at Leicester City and Hull last season still linger. He defines the term “heavy-hitter”: while Salah’s blows are unrelenting, if Kane hits, more often than not, he hits hard.

At this point, turning to Kane is not denying Salah’s status as the go-to option, it’s merely playing the mechanics of the game. When an established path is laid, there is always the opportunity to take a detour.

Salah is the sat nav, Kane the hand-drawn short-cut on the back of the beer mat. At various points over the final 11 Gameweeks, local knowledge will win out.

Gameweek 28 might just be one of those, with the case for the Spurs striker firming up in the last 24-hours.

His opponent Crystal Palace are deep in the midst of an injury crisis, with Roy Hodgson set to turn to Damien Delaney and James Tomkins to silence the Premier League’s most feared striker.

With this in mind, Fantasy managers are acquiring Christian Eriksen in midfield, seemingly backing him for points, but playing down Kane’s potential to outscore Salah.

That said, I still don’t know if I have that kahunas to take that route again. I’ve probably already done enough to separate my line-up from those around me.

My plan was clear some days ago, but doubts surrounding Raheem Sterling’s fitness prompted a reappraisal.

Nursing a muscular injury, believed to be hamstring related, Sterling was omitted from Monday’s shock FA Cup defeat at Wigan by Pep Guardiola.

Clearly, that was designed to prepare the winger for Sunday’s Wembley Final so you have to imagine that every step will be taken to get Sterling on the pitch.

If that proves the case, there is every chance that Guardiola will then take him out of the firing line come Thursday’s league re-match with the Gunners.

With Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane fit and Bernardo Silva now settled and proven, he no longer needs to flog his first choice XI.

Should United drop more points to Chelsea on Sunday, I imagine even Pep will consider compromising at the Emirates with City’s own home clash with the champions to come just three days later.

There were just too many possibilities swirling with Sterling, and while profit has been lost, by the time I reconsider Sterling with the Wildcard, his price may have dropped considerably.

Even then, given the likely rotation to come in the late season from Guardiola, I’m not certain I’ll be back for Sterling.

He served me well and got me 26 points as my captain back in Gameweek 19.

But then, I even captained Salah once.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

1,151 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Wilson still nailed with Defoe back fit ?

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      maybe

  2. La Roja
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    :mrgreen:

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Not you as well Roja, disappointed in you.

  3. Differentiator
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Mahrez IN

  4. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Cedric or Ibe as first sub?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Ibe

  5. Jay_
    8 years, 4 months ago

    No Shawcross or Pieters, apparently.

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Shouldn’t have sold Vardy five weeks ago, oops 😀

  6. john25
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Repost.

    Hey guys, bench Dunk (SWA) or Allen (lei)?

    Cheers

  7. The Overthinker
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Firminooooooo

  8. drughi
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    GTG ? anything worth a hit ? sterling>walcott ?

    DDG
    VVD Gomez Naughton
    Salah (C) Sterling KDB Mili Shaq
    Kun Kane

    elliott depoitre mariappa ogbonna

    0 FT and 0.1 itb

  9. GAMBIT
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Just lost Jones and Sterling.

    Take a hit or let Carroll and Bauer come off the bench?

    1. Homo Neanderthalensis
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Sterling will play. That games on Thursday.

  10. the dom 1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Need some advice lads.

    Want ship Willian & Lingard out as I have 2FT for this GW.

    who out of these would you get? Pick 2 pls....

    a. Wally
    b. Doucouré
    c. keep Willian and ship Lingard?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

  11. ACCOUNTING ON CHRIS
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Which defender to bring in?

    Van Dijk
    Trippier
    Vertonghen
    Davies

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      VVD

  12. Gooner97
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Pick one to bench

    A) Alonso(mun)
    B) Walker(ars)
    C) Simpson(STK)

    1. Totti
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      simpson

  13. b91jh
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Stanislas or jwp for gw29 and 31?

    1. b91jh
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Typo. Only for gw29

  14. Differentiator
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    For crying out loud Riyadh...

  15. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    mahrez c if you can, no shawcross as post above wow

  16. Lone Wolf FPL
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling owners. Check hot topics!

    1. GAMBIT
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers mate!

    2. Totti
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      what happened?

    3. Maarrrr17
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      what you refering to?

    4. Peggi
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      there is nothing in hot topics about sterling that i can see?

  17. Batshuayi Crazy
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Good moves I think clearly, but either for a -4?

    Sterling > mahrez
    Ota/Jones > VVD

  18. Ghost86
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Play Son or Shaqiri?

    1. Astronautovic
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Son

    2. ILOVEBAPS
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Son

  19. Waynoo
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Im captaining Firm

    1. The Overthinker
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Good shout. Good luck

  20. Firmino
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    A) Otamendi -> Maguire
    Hazard -> Mahrez

    Or

    B) Alonso -> Maguire
    Sterling -> Mahrez

    1. ILOVEBAPS
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Neither. Ota > Bavies

  21. ILOVEBAPS
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Y or N

    Ota ➡ VVD -4

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      N

  22. The Overthinker
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    No player from early kick feels so meh

  23. Sponge-worthy
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Play Quaner or McArthur?

  24. Astronautovic
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    1FT
    A)Kun to vardy
    B) sterling to mahrez

  25. The Scottish Loveknot
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Is Gomez > VVD worth using a FT for?

  26. IRBOX ⚽
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    G2G?

    Foster
    Alonso Mee Simpson
    Salah Mane Son Serling
    Kane Firmino Wilson

    Pickford Otamendi TC Ogbonna

  27. Maarrrr17
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Have bernardo silva, sterling > mahrez for free?

  28. Afghanistanislas
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Last minute decision...play one:
    A) Lingard
    B) Choupo-Moting
    C) Zeegelaar

    1. FDMS All Starz
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A

  29. Bobby_Baggio
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    Yay or nay to these moves for free - Ota + Lingard > Dawson + Mahrez.

    Fabianski
    Jones - Ota - Alonso
    Lingard - Salah - Sterling - Walcott
    Kane - Firmino

    Speroni - Dunk - Tomkins - Quaner

    1. Totti
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      yes

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      Jones to VVD for me

  30. Totti
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 4 months ago

    who to play?

    A) doucoure
    B) milivojevic

    1. ILOVEBAPS
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A

    2. Sponge-worthy
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 4 months ago

      A